The Sun. — London, England, 1818-12-22 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN. THE BIBLE. MR. EDITOR,--I bet; to trouble yon once more on the subject of STACKHOUSE% Sixth Letter, as it appeared in your Paper of Tuesday last. It is by no means my intention to 9.uarrel with him about his defence of Mr..BELLAtdY, if he thinks .that Gentleman in the right. But I wish to ask 14im,,why, when be undertakes that defence, the only weapon he uses is indiscriminate abuse of all who oppose him, instead of the more manly, and sorely more philosophical mode of answering the objections advanced by his opponents ? In my last Letter I charged Mr. BELLAMY with misinterpre ting the " Typical Sacrifice of Ahraham."—Mr. , I observed, denies that the Sacrifice of Isaac vas commanded. If he is right in his interpret a` lion, St. Paul, who affirms it was commanded, (I.leb. 11. 17.) is wrong. St. dances is also wrong (James 2. 21.) and the subsequent verses, in the Chapter of Genesis, which treats of this sacrifice, must also contain an error, as they clearly pro7e that strh was - the command, in order to try Abra ham's faith ; else the Almighty would not have said, " Because thou bast not withheld thine only Son,'•' &c. STACK 1-10 USE, though lie a n o des to try Letter, dms not attempt to rlefeml .Mr. Btu- LAMY :Ik:sitl%t this, or rtny other charge, hut con tents him , elf with general and undistinguishing praise of his Work, and equally midis' inguishing censute of those who have in any point o+cted to it. Are the arguments such as STAcKHouse cannot answer ? If so, what is the rest of his defence worth ? If he con answer them, why does he not, and prove Mr. BELLANnr right As STACKHOUSR is a " Philosopher," he ought, at least, to argue philosbphically. A mail who frets himself on safe ground in an argAnent, will not pass unnoticed the arguments of his opponent—if he do pass them in silence, it is fairt6 presume that he is at a loss how , o meet them. But ST%cititousE is wroth with' me for attack ittg Philosophers, and therefore politely terms me " a half-witted Folower of a Methodist Preacher." pass over the gentlemanly tone be assumes as not ►leserving of notice, and come :0 the question itself. And here I again assert, that Philosophy has nothing to do with Religion, beyond the moral obligations which it inculcates. On Divine Troths and Mysteries it can throw no light ; perplexing itself in the mazes of an infinite titlhject, on which it endeavours to reason With finite powers, often rejects, through vanity, what it cannot comprehend, as unworthy of belief ; and (as has bappened).seeks a refuge in Athiesm rather than confess its own ignorance. And these are the Philosophers, the baneful effects of whose reasonings I deprecate. For, to argue phi losophically on Matters of Faith, is more than absurd. If philosophy reject one Divine truth, because it is incomprehensible, it must equally reject if it cannot understand the simplest opera tion of Divine Power, can it comprehend the I •CARNATION of our BLESSED SAVIOUR z If it deny this, because it cannot understand it, where is the Christian ? Philosophy, I repeat, has made men Athiests, hut it cannot make them Christians. And it is this "nauseous" remark, as STACK... stousa terms it, with which he is so much offend ed. If, as he asserts, Christianity is " insulted" by this observation, what shall we say of those Philosophers, who, because they cannot compre hend how the Almighty created the Universe, are therefore ready to deny that it is his wsnk ? Here philosophy makes a man an Athiest. Shall it therefore he ciid, the Almighty is " insulted" by us, because we insist that the abuse of man's reasoning powers have led him into disbelief? Yet such is the necessary consequence of STACK.. ROUSE'S 2;i. ( :“IinellIS. Far be it from me to in- sinnate that STACKHOUSR is in this sad predica ment. I merely advance this in opposition to his dangerous doctri!!e, drawn from the reason ings Of Philosophy. If that he Faith, which be lieves nothing but what it comprehends, there will be no difference between the Christian and the Heathen. If STAcKnousr. he but moderate ly conversant with the best of the ancient sophers, he will know that they were fully sen sible of the necessity of a Divine Revelation, ere man could know what was his perfect duty. It is onr blessing to have been favoured with this ; shall we abuse it, by withholding onr belief front all we cannot nnderstand of its Divine truths ? God forbid But STACKHOUSE says, " Christ was a Deist, as Socrates was before him !" The one, a Divine Teacher, God in Man—compared with a mere frail human being, and that man, great as he was, yet a Pagan! If STACKHOUSa believe in the Di• vivity of Christ, I am not a little astonished at the boldness of his comparison. If he view hii; Stiviour only as a moral teacher, I shall know in what class of Christians to rank him—What STAtKIVIC.S.M means by a " Christian Mist" cannot conceive, unle ss he mean a Socinian. Christ was indeed " a perfect master of morality, and , taught it in purity alid beauty t" but did Christ teach only morality ? With all that STAcKHotisg says on practical morality, I fully and heartily coincide. lam tar, very far, from being one of those who would separate faith and works. Build ing on the former, and counting the latter as no thing, they destroy the fair beauty of the fabric which our Saviour has taught us to rear. • But I cannot 'agree with STACKHOUSB, that all as he seems to infer, centres in morality ; else, as I h4ore observed, the Heathen and the Chris tian are so far on a par. To love virtue for fib-- toe's sake is good morality ; to love it. for Christ's sake also is the Christian's command. But the main point to be asked, is, what are NI r. BELLAMY'S improvements I If only to cause the removal of passages, which, as I formerly ad mitted, had better be removed (however neces sary they may have been under the Jewish Dis pensation, to mark God's a nger against sinners) his object so far is not to he censured ; though a new Translation is not therefore necessary, nor have his specimens at all cirri .ced me of his abi lities as an improver. Still, so far be may do good. But, it be venture to touch on Divine Mysteries, it he enter the door of the sanctuary, and, because he cannot penetrate the veil which shrouds Almighty Power and Wisdom front human Eyes, should therefore endeavour to throw dis credit on those mysteries (as he has done in the case of . Abraham's sacrifice), let us beware bow we sanction such a work. What may he the purport of STACKKOUSR'S ' closing paragraph in his Vlth Letter, I know not. According to the natural meaning or the words, it is a defence of Mr. BP.LLAMY, for which that Gentleman has little reason to thank him. Mr. B. he says, " is bringing forth such a Translation as can he read with pleasure and reliance, imper fect as it may he in the original Hebrew, of which none can judge." Does he mean that. Mr. B. is supplying there imperfections on his nwn authority, and taking it on hi►nself to determine where the " original Hebrew" is imperfect ? thus giVing us an Old Testament of his _own, which is not the " liehrew ?" I can har►lly think such to be his meaning ; yet such is the inference. to which his words must lead. If it be his meaning, we•may naturally ask, Who gave Mr. BELLAMY this authority ? And who has instructed hint, that he dare to decide between what the Hebrew I3ible is, and what it ought, according. to his no tions, to be? Mr. BELLAMY C 411110 1) lam con vinced, pretend to this authority. I conclude by referring STACKHOLIA6 to your Correspondent BIBLIOPHILUS of Monday last.— Let hicu prove that Mr. BELLAMY, or let Mr. B. himself prove, that he knows more than all the great Divines and Scholars who have preceded him, and thought a small portion of the sacred Volume a sufficient subject for their individual labours. Let him prove, that he alone is stronger than " a Host," or we must in justice dismiss him with the words, •rov yoiwo.x:o, ?:ccr Eti , 7 - 41,Z; ET E. I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, December 17, 1818. • SCRUTATOR. P. S. As Mr. BELLAMY boasts of The high patronage his work has met with, and mentions one Right Reverend Divine, as most liberal in his commendations, and who is " a host in himself," may we be allowed to ask Mr. B. to specify him ? 1 presume no Bishop would venture' to praise Mr. B's work, it he feared the publication of his name, or could not openly avow his high opinion of its merits. *** We sincerely hope that this able and truly respectable Writer will not withdraw from the discussion of a subject so important to mankind as the genuine text of the Holy Setiptures, particularly as the Papists are anxiously labour ing to circulate a Bible of their own, and as they are unceasing in their endeavours to possess Political Power, in the hope that in due time they may undermine the Protestant Faith. We can assure him, that thoughlSTAcKnoose writes with the vigour of an honest inind, he holds in sacred reverence the Christian Dispensation, and is one of its most staunch supporters. THEATII-7CAL REGISTER. Performed Last Night. brtEATRt Rnrnt ., NuRY-LANE'.—(tatif time), littitus't .tt ciiis Junius, Nil-. Kean; Tarquiflia, Mrs. W. Wot. After which, Barniechle. THEATRE RmvAL,CevENT-GARDEN.--Jatie Stiore Lord Hast ings, Mr. Young; Jane Shure, Miss O'Neill. After which, The Miller and his Men. *** For LONDON JOURNALS and Lk'rERARY REVIEW, see the First Page. PRICE 0 Tlii3 DAY AT r 3 per Cent Red per Cent. Bl-q4 4 per Cents. 94ti Bank L. Atin..l9 is-18th: 20 India Bonds 70s. 78s. pr. STOCKS k; I,V E U CLUCK. Exch. Bills, 2d....75. 16s. pr. Ditto Commercial.... tis. dis. Onmiunt par. Cods. fur Accouut.....7Biii MAILS. Aftltivnn-1 Dublin, 1 Waterford, 1 Holland, 1 France. Due-3 Guernsey and Jersey, 1 SWeden, l Hamburg!), 1 Lisbon, 1 Malta. lIICTI WATER AT LONDON lIRD)C;E TO -NIORRORT., Mornitiz. 41 minutes after 9. J Evening, 6 niinifies after 10. CUSTONIS LIST. Entered InuinrrtB, Dereinfier 21.—Isabella and Margaret, Hunter, Kid ; Barhadoes Packet, Ralston, Petersbnrgh ; Maria, Swains, Emhden; Thetis, Bruftan, Antwerp; Polly, Wheatley, Petersburg!' ; Lark, Anderson, Lisbon ; Mary Swan, Wright, Kid. Entered Orawardr, Dec. 21.—Lord Exmouth, Mills, Gib raltar; Navigator, Lozzan, Jamaica; Synrmetry, Dwarf's, do.; Dominica, lloldvr, Dominica; Friendship, Thomson, Demerara; Blucher, Douglass, Sierra Leone; Melatitho, Parrett, Bahia. Cleared Oot'pards, Dec. V.—Friends, Sparrow, Havre; Monarch, Heath, Honduras; \Prow Hendriha, Hay's, Flushiatt; rayennc; 154, .1.cizu,Soulter, do. ; Duchess of Bedford, 11,1wlsins, do.; Proteus, James, Malta; Francis, Brooks, Sicily; Active, Alberti, Malaga. .'Phis too► niiig we ►eceived the Paris Papers of Saturday lasi. The following are extracts : " Die. 19. " Lows, &e.- 7 -Having scen "the Message, dated the ISTI, instant, by which the Chamber of Deputies of Departments has presented to us, as Candidates tor the Presidency during the present Session, MM. Itavez; De Serte, Daugier (Rear- Admiral), Dupont (General), Plantlii-Lavalette, " We have appointed, and do appoint, Itavez to be President of the Chamber of De- pities. " Dated Dec. 18, 1613. (Signed) " LOUIS. " By the Ring. " The Minister Secretary of State fur the Interior. (Signed) " LAIN& " The above List was presented yesterday to his Majesty, hy, the' Provisional Bureau of the- Chanther ut Deputies, conducted by M. Laing, :Minister of the Interior. " The King afterwards received the Duke and Duchess of -Orleans, and Mademoiselle ()deans, and transacted business with the Duke de Richelieu, • CHANIIIF.R OF DEPUTIES. " 61TTING OF DEC. 18. PROVI.IONAL PRKSIDBNCY OF M. ANGLES, SEN. DOYEN WAGE. " The President informed the Assembly of the communication to his Majesty of the List of Can didates for the Presidency, and that the - King had announced his intention of appointing M. Itavti President. " The Ch3mber proceeded to a scrutiny for the election of four Secretaries. Number of voters, 158 ; absolute majority, 80. The result tvas--. For MM. Nina de Livnes General Augier Bret on The Count d'Orglanile Built The Count de St. Aulaire Cassaignoles ' 46 Casimir Perier 29 The Baron Bignon The Count de Bondy 25 B. De Leisert The Baron PoyftW de Ure .3 " No one having an absolute majority, a se cond scrutiny was ordered, previous to which the Royal OrdonnanCe was cornHillniCated, appointing M. Ravez to the Presidency. " The Ordonnance was read. " The Provisional President.—l invite M. Ravez to take the Chair. " Several Meinhers.--M, Ravez is not present. " M. de VAlele.—The Definitive Secretaties arc not appointed. " The second scrutiny for the election of Se cretaries NHS proceeded in. " MM. Boin and de St. Aulaire obtained an lb !ohne majoi ity, the twiner having 92 rotes, the second 93. " After them, the four other Members who obtained the greatest number of Vote 3, %vete— • Ni,m. General Angier Bainot Luvues B9 Cassaignoks Birton " These font. names were submitted to R ballot, the revolt of which give a great majority to MM Angier and Paillot de Loynes, who; together wi;lt the Count de St. Aulaire and M. Boin, were pro claimed Definitive Secreturiei of the Chamber. " The Deputies are to as3emble rto-Inorp , . , r at DOOO, under the Presidency of M. Raves, tot the• installation of the DAttitive Bureaux, and to pro eetN!, in their respective Bureaux, to ippoint a Committee to prepare the Address to the King.— Adjourned. " A fire broke out yesterday evenittg at tl.e PA. lace of Justice, in the Cur Royale, but by Great Oket Clan's it ,- vasexiinguithecl doingingC damage. " The King suffered rattier less from the P ug yesterday than on the preceding clays. " The Duchess de Berry is slightly intlisposcd. FIVE PER CENTS. Prid ay. . GS f. 80f. DP.I , ERR ED STOCK Of the 22d March, 1817, 77 f. 2$C. 22. t Sept. 1817, 84.1 ?larch, 1813, 73 1. 25 c. 22(1 Sept. 1818, PETERsIIIIRGLI, Nov. 25.—1 t is underst ood that tile Emperor of .Russia will return berg 1 4 the first clay of the new year, (Jan. 13.) " AUGSBURG, DEC. 11.—It is said that the Emperor of Russia had. at Mergentheim, tll Franconia, a long conference with the Duke de Lenchtenberg (Prince Eugene), wbo 016 'proceeding train Eichstatt. " FLORENCE, DEC. 7.—Osman Aga, a G en esi in the service of the Viceroy of Egypt, has re ' evived a dispatch, containing the following Wel'. ligence:— " CAIRO, OCT. I 6.—Notwithstanding the 1.4 . Of their capital, and the defeat of their 13111 Y, the IVechahites assembled again to try the fate n t . arms, and approached their capital, but the resn lc , was another defeat, which has completed 1161). The battle took place in the environs PE Derych ; the \Vechabites fought with fury, bit were compelled to yield to the talents of lbrahin i Paella and the disciplined bravery of his treoP si the field of battle •was coVered with their dee d ' By a stratagem, worthy of a great Generolf Ibrahim Paella seized the person of Ahd oll3l4 the Prince of the Wechabites, and the person s ( of all his family, consisting of upwards forty individuals. This Llow appears to.have for ever put R 4 end to the power of the Weehabi res. Prince Mphllalt and the P►iuees and Priocesses of his family are expected at Cairo, vi 4el6 g mod triumphal le es are preparing for O cir Arrival. They will be conveyed to Consta Ll(i' , (mile under a strong escort " Philadelphia Papers to the 17th Nov, art; this morning. • (From tl.c Freeman's Journal of the 15th.) PPNSACOLA.T—We learn from a Gentleman rt l° lately arrived from Pensacola (says the Yob ile ' Gazette of Oct. 20), that Capt. BoYt.p.s, to %% 110111 General JAcksot4 gave the command o f a coi n ' pany of Rangers, has had another brush with 144 Indians, and has been wounded act brought fc' Pensacola, although his party had the advaufsllC of the Indians. We leant (miller that part of fli d e troops stationed at Pe•lsacola bad c om meti cr their march for App a lachi c ol a , b u t o n the fir' .ic3) of a Messenger with dispatches from the V r mender at Pensacola, they were ordered to r 4(1111 to that place. • _t BILTIMORE, NOY. 16.—Captain Wittg/ P ' :he schooner James, H.APCLILLocii, wive(' at this port•yesterday even og, in )6 days, tram Cayes, left at that place the schooner Veil!!!' SAMSON, of New York, which had arrived seven days from St. Thomas. Captain SAgg, 4 states, that while in sight and wit kin four lett4 u ' l of Aux Cayes, out he 14th Oct. at JP M. gee boarded by a small sloop, manoed with 20 t" e !' ° l all Blacks except . the Captain. They were armed with muskets, swords, and pistols ; O ef i without any hesitation boarded, robbed, plt ndered. the said schooner of goods that t its , part of her cargo.cuusiSted, also his cabin and s l t iQ stores. They also commenced to cointnit same depredations ou the crew, by strippipg of the wearing apparel that they stood in. SC heli s Capt. SAmsoN remonst ra t e d with t h em they d re .' v • their poignards and th rea g ene d hi s lif e ; his °es : being unarmed, it --was in vain to resist. A ire , detaining the schooner f our hours they left tljeß to proceed to her place of destination, where sh atrived next morning. I.IIOEILE, OCT. 12.--PENSACOLA—" .—F lie s 111 1 , 5: lion of this town is very singul,r s by t l i e of capitulation the:Sp a nish l a w is i n force. 1511. der the Spanish Government till sums in °I v' troversy over one hundred dollars, had ro b e (16• cided by the (governor, We tinr!ersrabfl , no one since our troops have !alien pos 9e9si l , eN erci' e. iths exercised the jori.dietion forincrly by the Spanish Governor, and that all son s clue orer one hundred dollar s by tiny perinns !ti er" ( "mint now be collected. It is riipe that some' t o thing definitive should he done in reference this 'A9 yet the Public are not it) no , esiion o f 11'11 certitiff info! Ina tiol) of What has ideL - fif red in gr in ' h;,i (be auxiety is naturally very M eat to rea intelli!!ence truth that ciff:!rter because , if tile reported(.vent has riot hApp,,,e,j, i t re quife . extraohlitiary zagacitv to foresee that it C 3r ‘ be far tli3taut, unless tlosne essenti elre '`t ciation takes 'place in the Governmcnr v t (", Country.- It is inipw , s,bla that a 'drive hike the Spaniards, the clouds ut ~si'n'e r° THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DICEUF; FALSUNI AUDEAT ? LONDON, TUESDAY, DECE,IIBEII 22, ISIS. the it enlio leatisi 1 114 t 11 11l reg if; of interf Prose Many aPpoi great all of the e Aerie concl oils flecti and tint; Sq~~ ~r~.~ AP I la!) th t 1, Lica( not tista l ' L Loud J` , ll)t 1 )(bil s 11 c)I'S ther, ttiotr *hi( fc.)11() Can) Chtv of nf I) i►l„ n gmc %lie, Cii iii by 1 1 11Ile sv as 10u, tnr Ili is fear a w, I ‘'t' CPU' Se } le at for P ei t I u a